Ski trainer and exerciser



Nov. 30, 1948. c. A. SCRIVER I I 2,455,274 r SKI TRAINER mm EXERGISER Filed Sept. 28, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet i c. A. SQRWE SKI TRAINER fi'ND EXERCISER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Filed Sept 28, 1.945

- Filed Sept. 28, 1945 N 30 19458. c.A. scR1v ER y 1 2,455,274

SKI TRAINER AND EXERCISER 4 SheetsSheet 3 'largwdqbrzwer 5 cuA; SCRIVER -2,455,2?4 KI TRAINER AND ExERcIsmR 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 28, 1945 Patented Nov. 30, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SKI TRAINER AND EXERC ISER Clarence A. Scriver, GlensFalls, Y. 7 Application September 28, 1945, Serial No. 619,210

' 15 Claims.

' f This invention relates to a machine designed to enable a person to learn the fundamentals of skiing without recourse to actual skis or to a snow covered surface. The machine can be set up and operated on the floor of a room or in the yard or other convenient place.

More particularly, the present invention is concerned with the provision of a machine upon which one can practice, with a highly perfected degree of simulation, stances and maneuvers such as the snowplow, snowplow turns, stemturns and stem-christies.

It is the primary object of my invention to "devise a machine of this character, which is useful'to the novice in learning how to ski skillfully upon the slopes and also to the expert skier in attaining and maintaining skill and conditio when there is no snow available.

It is another major objectto provide a machine in which resistancesto muscular movements are setup to simulate those resistances encountered in actual practice upon skis; and in this connec-, tion it is an important object to equip the machine with means for indicating to its rider Whether or not his stance and movements are correct.

These and other objects of this invention should clearly appear from the following description when studied in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine of Fig. 1, as viewed from theleft;

Fig. 3 represents a cross section taken substantially along the line 3-3, Fig. 1;

' Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken 'on the line 4-4, Fig. 1, withone of the foot plates 'moved into the plane of intersection;

Fig. 5 is an enlargedfragmentary section taken on line 5-5, Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a-bottom plan view of one of the foot plate units;

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of the foot plate unit ofFig. 6; t r Fig. 8 is a diagram showing the electrical circuit and devices used in the apparatus;

Fig. 9 is a rear elevational View of thesame apparatus, with stabilizing legs set vertically; Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragment, in partial section,'sho wing the means for latching and manipulating each stabilizing leg; I

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of a modified form of pedestal for the table, its feet being partially broken away;

Fig. 12 isan elevation of the device of Fig. 11, as viewed from its lower side;

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 12, but showing a further modification embodyingpower mecha- "nism for varying the table slope;

Figs. 14 to 17 are somewhat schematic views designed to illustrate a few of the positions in which the table and its parts may be placed by the legwork and footwork of an operator.

With continued reference to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts, and with particular reference for the moment to'Figs. 1 to 4, and 9, the machine of my invention as shown in the present instance, consists essentially of a table or platform designatedinits entirety by the numeral 20, and a supporting base, in the form of a pedestal orstandardand designated as a unit by the numeral 2i. .j

The standard 2| may be of any suitable shape or construction, but preferably comprises four radiating and centrally joined wooden feet 22, each flat in a vertical plane and winglike inform. At their juncture the feet slope upwardly into a peak as shown, for-reception of a tight fitting metal cap 23, which has a spherically curved upper exterior surface complemental to the interior surface of a substantially hemi-spherical shell 24.

The shell 24 has an integral stem 25, threaded for cooperation with a clamping nut 26, which engages'a fiat platform 21 (preferably of the contour shown in Fig. l) to hold the shell within ;a recess in the underside of the platform. A light film of lubricant may be interposed between-the members 23 and 24, for, aspresently seen, the platform pivots and tilts upon the pedestal during certain ski-practice maneuvers (see Figs. 14 to 17). H A pair of coil springs 28, connected in; tension between the platform 21 and the feet 22 of the pedestal, as shown, tend to maintain the'table 20 in a"level position as seen in Figs. '14 and"15, with no lateral tilting. These springs are designed to simulate the resistance of snow'to the movements of skis in certain actual outdoor exercises.

Upon the platform 21, preferably recessed "therein, is a hard metal sheet 30, designed to forman arcuate track upon which special simulated ski devices are to ride, as presently explained. This track is bounded at its upper and lower edges by a pair of arcuate wooden strips, 3i and 32, attached to the platform 21 inany The distance between these strips corresponds approximately to the length of a ski shoe, and these strips may be made of different sizes for trainers of different sizes. The arcuate curvature of these strips corresponds substantially with a curve that would be executed by a skier using skis of standard length and makin an average snowplow Or a turn, as'will later be discerned. I

The strips 3| and 32 have secured thereto, by screws or otherwise, metal guide rails 35 and 36, respectively, of the same arcuate curvature. The rail 35 contacts the grooves of guide wheels 31,

which are rotatably mounted in the heel ends of a pair of shoe plates 38. Another set of wheels 31 is rotatably mounted in the toe end of each plate 38. TheSeZWh86lS-.SBIVEiIQl'IlM for 'guidance of the -shoe-plates 38-along the arc of .the rails 35, 36, and for retaining the shoe plates on the platform, the weight of the shoe plates and their supported skier being carried by ..a..set.of rollers 40 that are pivotally secured within recesses in the bottoms of the plates so that the-alattemmay ride freely back and forth laterally, .upon. the metal track 30. The whe'els"3l and"the"rollers 40, of course may be mounted in anti-friction bearings, and lubricated in any conventional manner. V

Theends of .thetrack just described. arcadefined by. a. pair. of .side-strips. 33,,secured..to' .the platform ZT-inanysuitable mannemas by-bolts 133a, .and having inside. surfaces. 34. designed to limit. the. lateral. or outward: movement of! the .ishoeaplates 3 8 .In .ordento. accommodate smaller spersonssthe side strips- .53 may. be adj ustable'. inwardly betweenthestrips l .and..32-and secured in different adiustedpositions by placing-thexbolts .33minthe-appropriate.holes 33b in .the. platform 21. The radii of the straight suriacestA-aresuch l that theyv intersechthezcenter of 1 the arcs oi=cur- --Vature-of.-the.rails: 3.5, 3.6.

a Each shoeplate-38-+which;forms the foot-,sup-

"30 formed byjthe feet, andattachedtothe latteiziby :IEDI'IXEdsSQCtlQIL- ofsasimulated skp-has the usual .shoe; fastenings vcornprising:side. clamps.- 4 i, toe straps Aaand a heeleengaging resilient. vunit .43. Jtmay also .embodyankle straps for certainexer- .cises. raNone oLtheseaccouterments formsa part "35 .trated.in.loroken line.iri Eig. 11. I

iofsthe present invention. .It-will. be .-observedthat if a person is standin with the usual sport shoes :npon-.the .zplates" 38, with shoesmroperly secured thereto; :thathe. may. assumelany natural. skiing stance andthathe also:may.shiftahis feet laterally .relative to each other along the .traclcprovided i byzthe floorrfifl.v and .the. guide .rails 35 3 6. Theshoe plates l38are interconnectedrby. a.ten ,lsion spring lld cto resistseparation of thaplates rinapproximate concordance-with the resistance .that would be. produced by snow. in actualskiing upon a slope. Incidentally, an average slopetof rfib1t-35- degrees is reproduced by-the height of ,.thehal1 2 3. and the related. dimensions: of .the .tilt- .-.table..20,. which atits forward. curved edge 20a, rollsupon thedloonwhen turning. maneuvers are .executed. I

EA. compression spring 45 (see especially Fig.5) is inset at. the inner sideof. eachstrip. 33..to yieldingly resist movement of its associated shoeplate [.38. HUpomproperly executingthe. particularvma- ..neuver. =.and compressing. .the. spring Q :45 tonthe properlextent a .conventionalpushTbutton. switch 56 is .closed .to ,oompletean electrical .circuit .cornprisingidual wires .41. fed from alconv'entional .socket'48, .'the.latter designed for connection as an extension .cord and. plugsto any rconyenient ..;electrical outlet. ..Completion of..the.circuit.-is..ac- .complishedthrough. one,.oritheothenof. two. elec- ...tric=.lamps 5ll, .one. ateachgidechthetable 21-. and p .exposedtoiheyiew of the .firider i so .thathemay observe .the degree of. perfection. oflhis .foot .movee'ment. As 'previously .explained,...some .of .these movements .areu-observablegin Figs. 14 to 1'7.

For .thepurpose, of .levelling lthe ,table..2'l .to

facilitate mounting of the machine byhthezskiier ..and .to permitthe execution of fisnowplowstand .the" like, the table 21 at. its. undersidejs equipped .with apair of stabilizinglegs 52,, pivotally;..conanctedltheretdby conventional .springflhingeas- *semblies" 53;the tendency of which is to throw 75 the legs into folded position against the bottom of the table as seen in Figs. 2 and 10. Against the resistance of the hinges, however, the legs 52 :may be forced into vertical -positionrfilifigz 9), and

5 they. have-latching notches154; designed to enact with complemental latching hooks 55 for retain- ;xing them in vertical or stabilizing position.

. -.The.hooks.55 are weighted and integrally joined to apair-ofdevers 56 that extend downwardly lolztbroughthe-l-table to be pivotally pinned thereto standard in "which the. simulated'ski .slopais variable. .A ballheaded pin '60 adapted .to receive .the. socket"24 and to supportfl thentable I.(not .Qshown); isadjust'able vertically in-a'.slee.ve1.lil, I .and islocked in .variouspcisitions.bfadiustment 2 by. a .set. screw" 62. ZThe'sleevauniti .6 Lis secured to any one or moreoLthesnppofting.feetJBSJA.

v Preferably, the feet .B3..areointegr'al and thefeet Stare .pivotallylconnectedtheretdat' B5. ,Aapair ...of.brac:e"s6 aredisposed across .twoof'the angles .screw assemblies; 61. Thus, the.- assemhliesrlifil may be detached-tomermit. the. bracesto be re- ..moved. and the. feetQM; to .be swunglandiolded .,against-the .feet 5 3, .for. compact storage .asiillus- For the more.experiencedskiier thesupporting "standard may...be .mechanizeddzd. cause .the .rear pivoted endiof the table-to .riseand fall..tosimulate changesin .degreeofthe.skLslope. .l'Asseen 40 .in. the. modification an. Eig.1.13,\.0neOf-. the feet,

(e,- g. a. foot.63,) .,.is adapted .toafford. actootimemher ;6 S -enlargedrtQJHOVidG- aacasing .7 0 for harming an electric motor and- .speedireductiomgear- ,jng :.(.conventional. and .not .shown) for slowly rotating a shaft {I Ljournalled.in.the.-.casing. .-.$1he

shaft 5! l carries; .ior .unitary rotation :therewith, a cam 12 having any suitable-preselected. contour for. creating -variablesski slopes.

. The cam 12 rotates in roll-ingncontact witlea 11er, ,13 carriedlbyaoneend-of atlever- M that is pivoted, intermediate :its, ends. at: 15 1 upon. a: side wall of the casing 1.0. The .other end of the lever -'I4wcar.ries.a rollerr .16 .in 'rollingcontact witlrx the lower end of the ball-headed .pin:60.xso"as.-to

periodically elevate-andlower theelatter; thus to continuously vary the forward anglaottiltmr slopefl of the-table orplatform. assembly 20. A tension spring ll is interconnected betweencthe lever. 14 and apart a of the-casing I0 .thereabove to maintainthe-roller 1 6. in constant contact with nthe-lower end-oflthepin .60.

The. manner f of..utilization pfethe machine. is now believed. to..be..fairly obvious. .With further reference .to Figs... lento. .17, .it .shou1d.be.:.understood that in the position-of.lthelplatformrmlas .shownin Fig. 14 the legs 52; are vertical-ton leveling... and stabilizing. :the platform,.-.-.as. shown .in 'Fig. 9, and that the skier is simulating-travel straightldownasnow. coveredrhill; and that in Fig. 15 he is executing...a.fsnow=plew..without ...change inthevposition .oflegs 52. InFig. 1.6;:the skierhasstarteda left-turn snow-:plowhhich also may be'the beginning .ofa. stem. .turn,..com- .pleted .in Eig 1'1. .It will. beapparentto experienced skiers that these simulated maneuvers may be reversed and modified to approximate any of the actual maneuvers that can be executed upon skis.

Obviously, many changes may be made in the design and details of the machine without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that the scope of the invention is to be determined. by a reasonable interpretation of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

A skiers training and exercising machine comprising a table set at an angle to the horizontal to simulate an actual skiing slope, and a track mounted upon said table and extending transversely of the direction of slope thereof to afford a surface for simulated skiing foot movements.

2. In the machine defined in claim 1, said tracl; comprising an arcuate surface and embodying arcuate guide members, and there being a pair of shoe-supporting plates designed to be pushed to and fro over said surface and to coact with said guide members.

3. A skiers training and exercising machine comprising a table tilted to simulate an actual skiing slope, a track mounted upon said table and embodying a curved and transversely arranged guideway, a pair of shoe-supporting plates slidable to and fro over said track within said guideway, and resilient means interconnecting said plates to tend to draw them together.

4. A skiers training and exercising machine comprising a base, a table pivotally mounted upon said base and designed to tilt laterally in both directions, a curved laterally arranged track carried by said table, and a pair of shoe plates slidable along said track.

5. In the machine defined in claim 4, means operable at will to hold said table in untilted position.

6. A skiers training and exercising machine comprising a base, a table pivotally mounted upon said base and designed to tilt laterally in both di rections, a curved laterally arranged track carried by said table, and a pair of shoe plates slidable along said track, a pair of legs pivotally at tached to the lateral edge portions of the table, means yieldingly urging said legs into horizontal position, and. latching means for locking said legs in vertical position to support and stabilize the table, said latching means including devices operable from above the table to permit said legs to collapse against said table.

'7. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a supporting base designed to rest upon a level surface, a table pivotally mounted near one edge upon said base to slope downwardly from said edge and designed to have its opposite edge oscillate laterally upon said level surface, a track upon said table and extending laterally of the slope thereof, and stabilizing spring means designed to resist oscillation of the table.

8. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a plurality of substantially flat and vertically arranged legs, said legs embodying pivotal connections and radiating from a common center 50 that some of them may be swung and folded, means supported by said legs above their center of radiation to provide a pivot, a table tiltably mounted upon said pivot, and a track carried by said table.

9. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a base, a vertically adjustable post carried by said base, a laterally tiltable table pivotally supported adjacent one edge upon the top of said post and having a curved opposite edge providing rolling support for the table while tilting laterally, and a siziers training assembly mounted upon said table.

10. In the combination defined in claim 9 power operable means for continuously and automatically varying the height of said post and thus varying the angle of slope of said table.

11. A skiers trainin and exercising machine comprising a supporting unit, affording a pivot, a platform tiltably mounted upon said pivot, an arcuate track carried by said platform, a pair of shoe-supporting plates slidable to and fro upon said track, and stop members secured to said table at the ends of said track to limit the outward movement of said plates.

12.111 the machine defined in claim, 11 means mounted at the inside edges of said stop members to cushion and yieldingly, resist the outward movements of said plates.

.13. A slriers training and exercising machine comprising, a supporting base, a table mounted upon said base to simulate a skiing slope, an elongated track carried by said table and arranged transversely to the general direction of downward slope of the table, said table including an electrio circuit embodying switches at the ends of said track, a pair of foot-supporting plates slidable along said track, and engageable with said switches to actuate them, and indicating means in said electric circuit and operable by said switches when the latter are engaged by said plates.

14. A machine of the class described, comprising a supporting member, a table slopingly mounted upon said member and carrying an elon gated track arranged transverse to the direction of slope, a pair of arcuate guide rails attached at the sides of said track in substantial parallelism, shoe-supporting plates having rollers for mounting them antifrictionally upon said track, said plates having rollers at each end for coaction with said guide rails, and means at each end of said track to afford stops for limiting the move- :ent of said plates.

15. In the combination defined in claim 14, said supporting member and said table having complemental means for tiltably mounting said table for oscillation in the general direction of track elongation, stabilizing springs connected to said table to yieldingly resist tilting thereof, a pair of switches associated with said stops and operable by said plates, and an electric circuit carried by said table and including said switches, said circuit further including a pair of electric lamps arranged for illumination upon actuation of one or the other or both of their associated switches.

CLARENCE A. SCRIVER.

The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,121,438 Whitrnore Dec. 15, 1914 1,521,487 Turner Dec. 30, 192 1 r 2,274,081 Mautin Feb. 24, 1942 

